Birch mouse

Birch mouse ( Sicista betulina )

The genus of birch mice ( Sicista ) or Streifenhüpfmäuse is expected to the family of gerbils ( Dipodidae ), although they do not have extended back legs and remind externally more real mice.

Features

All species have a long tail of 6.5-11 cm in length and weigh about 6-14 g The body length is between 5 and 9 cm. The coat color is oberseits light brown or dark brown to brownish- yellow, and the under side paler, but usually also brownish.

Way of life

The different types of birch mice are found in diverse habitats such as forests, grasslands, swamps, bogs, and sub-alpine meadows. They live in self-dug caves, their nest chambers are ausgepostert with dry grass and plant stems. They move along the ground, hopping away and are also able to climb on branches. The animals are nocturnal.

Species

The genus of birch mice ( Sicista ) consists of 13 species:

• Sicista betulina ( birch mouse )
• Sicista subtilis ( steppe birch mouse)
• Sicista severtzovi Voronezh region in southern Russia
• Sicista Strandi Kursk and Caucasus regions in southern Russia
• Sicista napaea Northwestern Altai Mountains in south-central Siberia
• Sicista pseudonapaea Southern Altai Mountains in Kazakhstan
• Sicista concolor northern Pakistan and Kashmir to the mountains of Gansu and Sichuan in central China
• Sicista caucasica North Caucasus, Western Caucasus and Armenia
• Sicista kluchorica North Caucasus
• Sicista kazbegica Georgia
• Sicista armenica Northwest Armenia
• Sicista tianshanica Tianshan Mountains
• Sicista caudata Ussuri region of Manchuria and southern Siberia, Sakhalin

Sicista betulina and Sicista subtilis differ from the other species by a conspicuous black line that runs along the center back.

Birch mouse

The best-known species of birch mice ( Sicista ) is the northern birch mouse or Streifenhüpfmaus ( Sicista betulina ), the only species of gerbils, who lives in North and Central Europe, as well as in Eastern Siberia. It is native also in Germany. The birch mouse reaches a head -body length of 5-7 cm, a tail length of 8-10 cm and a weight of 5-11 g The top of the body is yellow -gray with blackish dashes and a dorsal stripe ( dark stripe ), the bottom is light gray.

Steppe birch mouse

Another type of birch mice is the steppe birch mouse or strip mouse ( Sicista subtilis). She has a very different habitat than the birch mouse. She is an outspoken steppe dwellers and live in the plains of Hungary, Romania and all of southern Russia. It differs from the birch mouse by a higher body weight and a shorter tail. In addition, the dorsal stripe on both sides is lined yellow with her. It also sets her summer nest in underground. She also holds a hibernation.

Threat

The type Sicista armenica is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN. It is estimated that only about 250 live animals. Sicista caudata is considered endangered due to habitat destruction. The birch mouse ( Sicista betulina ) and the steppe birch mouse ( Sicista subtilis) both apply in spite of their large distribution areas as low. The reason probably lies in their relatively specific habitat requirements.